Steak au Poivre, Michelin-Style
A French bistro classic: a thick steak with a coarse peppercorn crust, seared and butter-basted, finished with a creamy cognac pan sauce. Elegant, but fully doable at home.
- 2 New York strip steaks, about 4 cm (1½ in) thick (~700 g / 1.5 lb total)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 garlic cloves: 2 smashed, 2 thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped (or ½ small red onion)
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) cognac, dry sherry, or brandy
- 120 ml (½ cup) heavy cream
- Flaky sea salt, to finish (optional)
-
1
Dry and season
Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season generously on both sides with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Let sit 15-30 minutes at room temperature: the salt dissolves and works its way in instead of just sitting on the surface.
-
2
Crush the peppercorns
Crush the whole peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, or seal them in a resealable bag and crush with the bottom of a saucepan. They should be noticeably coarser than ground pepper: that texture is what builds the dish's signature crust.
-
3
Sear the steaks
Heat the oil in a large skillet (cast iron if you have it) over medium-high heat. Cook the steaks undisturbed until a deep golden crust forms underneath, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. If they have a fat cap on the edge, stand them up with tongs and brown that too, about 3 minutes.
-
4
Baste with butter (arroser)
Lower the heat to medium-low and add the thyme, the 2 smashed garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp of butter to the pan. Continuously spoon the melted, fragrant butter over the steaks: this is the French technique called "arroser," which finishes cooking the meat evenly while adding flavor. Keep going until a kitchen thermometer in the thickest part reads 49°C (120°F, medium-rare), about 2 minutes. For more doneness, let it go a bit longer, up to 54-57°C (130-135°F).
-
5
Rest
Move the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest 10 minutes before slicing: this lets the juices redistribute instead of all running out when you cut into it hot.
-
6
Build the sauce base
Meanwhile, in the same skillet: add the chopped shallot, the 2 sliced garlic cloves, the remaining 2 tbsp of butter, and the crushed peppercorns you set aside. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot and garlic are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.
-
7
Flambé the cognac
Pull the pan off the heat before adding the cognac (the alcohol vapor can ignite from residual heat or a nearby flame: move the pan away from the burner as you pour it in, and be careful). Return to medium heat and cook until the cognac has mostly evaporated and a spoon leaves a clean track through the sauce, 1-2 minutes.
-
8
Stir in the cream
Add the heavy cream, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust the salt.
-
9
Serve
Slice the steaks against the grain and transfer to a platter. Pour any juices from the cutting board back into the pan and stir them into the sauce. Spoon the sauce generously over the steaks and finish with flaky sea salt.
- Coarsely crushed peppercorns are key: finely ground pepper won't build the same crust or bite.
- Pulling the pan off the heat before adding the cognac avoids surprises: the alcohol vapor can ignite near a flame.
- A shallot tastes like a small onion crossed with garlic; if you can't find one, half a small red onion works fine too.
- Moving the steaks while they sear: they need to sit still for an even, deep crust to form.
- Slicing the meat right out of the pan without resting it: you lose all the juices.
- Adding the cognac directly over high heat: pull the pan off first, for safety.